How To Spend The Perfect Weekend In Val D'Orcia Italy

In a region as charming as Val d’Orcia, you’d have to try extremely hard to not have a wonderful weekend. With colorful streets surrounded by nature, romantic hilltop hamlets and natural hot springs, Val d’Orcia will not disappoint, even if you only have 48 hours.

Saturday

The tours in Val d’Orcia usually start in Siena. From this medieval town, head down Via Cassia, first passing through the Crete Senesi area, which is characterised by a surreal and spectacular landscape. The first stop in Val d’Orcia is Buonconvento, a small walled hamlet considered among one of the most beautiful villages in Italy. It was a stop for travellers along the ancient Via Francigena, which connected Northern Europe to Rome in medieval times, and is also an important center for trade in the area.

Val d’Orcia has many high-quality local products, especially the wines, including reds, such as Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile of Montepulciano. Other specialties include, olive oil, saffron, mushrooms and truffles.

Sunrise in the Valley of San Quirico d’Orcia

The surrounding countryside of San Quirico is simply terrific and is the area portrayed on many Tuscan postcards—solitary lines of trees, rolling hills and wheat fields. Just 10 minutes from the city center, it’s home to one of the most beautiful and most photographed chapels in the country, Cappella di Vitaleta, which is one of the main icons for the Val d’Orcia. It’s definitely a must-visit.

Sunday

There is no better way to start your Sunday morning than with a relaxing thermal bath in the natural hot springs of Bagno Vignoni. The heart of this charming hamlet is quite magical with its ancient buildings surrounding the central swimming thermal water pool with ancient arcades. Although the pool is no longer open to the public, Bagno Vignoni and its spas are perfect for a relaxing holiday. You can also stick your feet in the warm water springs behind the main square down the hill. It is free.

After a regenerating bath, it’s time to continue the tour. The small hilltop village of Pienza is an amazing hamlet with narrow streets, beautiful palaces, churches and buildings. The city has plenty of attractions, but the best part is undoubtedly the pecorino cheese, made of milk from sheep that are raised in the surrounding hills. Stop by the shops and buy some as a souvenir for your family and for yourself! Also make sure to walk around the walls behind the cathedral to enjoy fabulous views of the Val d’Orcia.

Last stop: Montepulciano. Technically, this town is only partially in the Val d’Orcia valley, but everyone who travels here should make sure to visit. Take a tour through the town to see the cobblestone streets, lovely squares and ancient buildings. Montepulciano will take your breath away. A word of advice—don’t forget to climb to the top of Palazzo Comunale for views of the surrounding hills, Duomo and red palaces. Remember that Montepulciano is home to some of the best Italian wines, so you can visit the wine shops in town, or follow a wine tasting itinerary around the city.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.